Apparatus for making sheet-glass.



1 BARNES.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS.

APPLacATmN HLED MAR. 21, 1911,

Patented NOV. 2?, 191'? 2 SHEETSv-SHEET l.

for.

INVENTOR w WN WN WN WITNESSES MJC/rf LBARNES.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 19|?.

l 5,24%@ l 'Y I Patented Nov. 27, 1917.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JAMES BARNES, OIF NEW KENSXNGTON, PENNSYLVANA, ASSGNOE. Ul? ONE-l-Itlli T@ SEWARD R. SEYBOLD, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANLVA,

Specification -of Letters Patent.

`Ampli-cation -le. March 2l, 1917. Serial No. 156,249.

making sheet glass, particularly to an appa-l ratus designed to perform the method described and claimed in co-pending application Serial No. 155,228 filed March 16, 1917.

lhe object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which a batch of glass raised` to a high temperature may be subjected by a continuous operation to successive drawing, forming, smoothing. polishing, and annealing, and in which the glass is .drawn and formed in a flat sheet without the necessity of forming cylinders or of pouring the glass. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which the actuating parts may be run at a uniform rate of speed sortha-t the glass may be carried therethrough and turned out as a finished product by an uninterrupted cycle of operations. A still further object of the invention is to provide in such an apparatus, special means for completing the formation of a flatglass sheet and for simultaneously smoothing and polishing the same, such means being so designed, and provided with rubbing surfaces of such a nature, that a maximum smoothing and polishing effect is provided, and the surfaces arranged to contact with the glass, for smoothing` and polishing the same, are protected from excessive deterioration due to the heat of the glass rubbing thereagainst. A still further object of the invention is to so arrange the rubbing and polishing means that the rubbing surfaces may be readily renewed without unduly interrupting the operation.

inthe accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a central vertical section through the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the roofs of the furnace and of the leer removed; llig'. 3 is a vertical cross section of the rubber for smoothing and polishing the glass; llig. 4 is an elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same; Fig. 6 is a broken side view showing two of the sprockets and one chain of the leer conveyer; and Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the construction of the conveyer bars. 4

Briefly described, the elements of the ap# paratus comprise a furnace l, a cooling chamber 2 adjacent the discharge opening of the furnace, a .pair of vertically disposed adjustable rolls 3 adjacent the discharge opening of the cooling chamber, rubber d located forwardly 0f the .rolls 3, a pair of vertically disposed adjustable rolls 5 located forwardly of the rubber il, and a leer comprising a heated chamber 6 and al cooling1 chamber 7 located forwardly of the wheels 5.

The furnace 1, which is preferably of Such nature as to raise the batch of glass therein to a high temperature, is provided. with a discharge opening 8 having a drop gate 9 adjustable by means of chain l0, block il, and windlass l2, so that serves to completely close the opening El, or to regulate the width of the aperture for the outflow of the molten glass from the furnace. opening1 8 of the furnace is a cooling chamber 2 having a floor 13 so formed as to pro-- vide a broad flat surface for the cooling of the molten glassfrom the furnace in its passage through the chamber. 'llhe discharge opening of the chamber 2, at the forward extremity thereof, is provided with a drop gate 14 similar to that/used to close the discharge opening'of the furnace, the position of the drop gate being also regun lated by means of chain 15, block l, and windlass 17 'so that it may be adjusted to form a narrow aperture between its lower extremity and the floor i3 of the cham" ber.. Adjacent the discharge opening of the cooling chamber are the vertically dislmmediately adjacent the discharge posed rolls 3 mounted in standards 18 provided with adjusting screws 19 for regulating the relative position of the rolls.

The rubber 4 comprises a lower casing 20 mounted on a truck 21 arranged to run on a track 22, and an upper casing 23, both of these casings being provided with projecting solid blocks 24, 24a formed of wood, wood fiber, or other suitable material for smoothing and polishing the glass.. The blocks 24, 24a are rigidly secured in each of the casings by means of bolts 25 passing through the walls of the casings into the bodies of the blocks; and each of the casings is so formed as to provide a receptacle for water which extends completely around the portion of the block which projects into the interior of the casing, and .provides a water jacket the water in which tends to percolate through the bodies of the blocks to keep the same continually moist. The casings and 23 are secured together in relatively adjustable positionby means of set screws 26 having a screw-threaded engagement in lugs 27 and 28 projecting from each of the four corners of the upper casing 23 and of the truck 21 respectively. The lower casing 20 has secured thereto a pair of guards 29 so arranged as to prevent material passing between the blocks 20 from escaping past the sides of the rubber. Secured to the upper portion of the casing 23 is a flexible conlnection 30 passingthrough block 31 on a carriage 32 arranged to run on a transversely extended overhead track or way 33..

The wheels 5 are mounted in standards 34 similar to those in which rolls 3 are mounted and are likewise provided with similar adjusting screws 35. Forwardly of the wheels 5 is a leer comprising the heated chamber 6 provided with a plurality of suitable gas burners 36 and the cooling chamber 7, forwardly of which is located a cutting table 37. Extending completely through'both of the chambers 6 and 7 is an endless chain conveyer formed of transversely extending bars or slats 38 connected at their extremities to endless chains 39, which pass over a pair of sprockets 40 mounted on a shaft 41 at the forward extremity of the leer and over a pair of sprockets-42 mounted on a shaft 43 at the rearward extremity of the leer. This conveyer is positively actuated by being connected with an electric motor or other suitable prime mover, such motor and connections not being shown. Mounted on the shaft 43 at the rearward extremity of the leer are sprockets 44 and 45 over which pass sprocket chains 46 and 47, these chains also passing over sprockets 48 and 49 on the shafts of the lower roll 3 andthe lower pair of wheels 5 respectively. By this means the lower members of both rolls 3 and wheels 7 are positively actuated at an equal rate of speed with the conveyer of the leer,

naa-aci? the upper members of both rolls and wheels being preferably idlers. rllhe bars 38 of the conveyer of the leer are preferably formed with a metal core 50 and an asbestos cover 51, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, so that glass passing through the leer may rest thereon without danger of being scratched and without chilling such as would occur from Contact with a metallic surface. The conveyer is preferably provided with a pair of riders 52 arranged to support the bars 38 forming the upper portion of the conveyer.

In use of the apparatus the door 9 of the furnace is raised to allow a stream of molten glass, which is preferably in as high a state of fluidity as possible, to flow down the surface 13 forming the lioor of the cooling chamber 2. 1n case the glass does not readily flow it may be drawn initially from the furnace by a hook or othersuitable means. The door 14 of the cooling chamber is so adjusted relatively to the floor thereof, that glass drawn between its lower extremity and the floor of the cooling chamber will take the approximate form of a iat sheet, it being understood that the glass is in a viscous and thoroughly cohesive state at the time when it is drawn from the cooling chamber. At the beginning of the operation, the rolls 3, rubbing blocks 24, 24a, and wheels 5 are raised and the roughly formed glass drawn therethrough by any suitable means, such as a clamp arranged to be fastened to -the extremity of the sheet of glass and hooked over one of the bars 38 of the leer conveyer as shown and described in co-pending application Serial No. 155,228, filed March 16, 1917 the conveyer and the rolls 3 and wheels 5 being set in motion with the beginning of the operation of drawing. VAs the sheet of glass is drawn through the apparatus the rolls 3, rubbing blocks 24, 24, and wheels 5 are successively brought to bear upon it, so that by the time a fair proportion of glass rests upon the conveyer of the leer all the elements will be performing their functions in drawing or forming the sheet of glass. During the continuance of the operation after it is under way, the glass is drawn from the furnace and cooling chamber by means ofthe engagement of the rolls 3 and wheels 5 thereon, particularly by the engagement of the latter, so that during this continuance it is merely necessary to maintain the parts in properly adjusted position. By this means a continuous sheet of` glass 53 is of the apparatus4 sheet is l formed and is'passed through the leer where l it is subjected to an annealing treatment, and from which it is passed on to the cutting table 37 and there out into suitable lengths. F or the sake of convenience both the heated chamber and the coolin chamber of the leer are shown as of much ess length tion and a similar rubber is substituted.

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rigenera relative to the remainderl of the apparatus than is desirable in actual practice, since although the rate of drawing and travel of the glass is necessarily slow, the leer must be of considerable length in order to secure an effective annealing treatment.

The casings 20 and 23 of the rubber l are so adjusted that the space between the rubbing blocks 24 and 24a will be the thickness desired for the completed sheet. Since the glass is still at a high heat when reaching the rubber the action of the blocks serves to determine the thickness of the sheet and also smooths and polishes the same, the blocks heilig so moistened by means of the water jackets of the casings that their surfaces cont-actin with the heated glass d0 not burst into come so charred as to destroy their usefulness. `Where wooden blocks are used, as is preferable, a slight charring` of their rubbing surfaces is desirable since this gives the surfaces a line velvety finish which is particularly desirable in polishing the glass. As the blocks burn away the upper casing 23, with the upper rubbing block rigidly secured therein, may be adjusted downwardly by means of set screws 26. W hen the surfaces of the blocks become too deeply charred, the operation is momentarily stopped, the rubber 4 is removed from poin removing the rubber the set screws 26 may be completely withdrawn from the lower casing 20 and the upper casing 23 lifted by means of its connections with the carriage 32, so that the upper casing may be ,raised and removed from the zone of operations ori the track, at the Sametime that the truck 2l carrying the lower casing is run out of position on the track 2Q. rllhe rub.- bing surfaces of the blocks may then be scraped to bring them again into service-A able condition, and the position of the blocks in the vcasings may be adjusted by removing the bolts 25 and inserting them again at such points as to increase the proportion of each of the blocks projecting from its casing. When the lblocks have been tooV much burned for further use, they may be removed completely from the casings in the manner above described and fresh blocks may be substituted. f

rEhe product produced by the apparatus described is superior to window glass which is drawn in cylinders, since the constructions and bulges which are apt to occur to a greater or lesser extent in the cylinder method have the eiiect of making a sheet in which waves are formed and in which the Iproduct is in other ways not uniform. This disadvantage is obviously overcome by the use of the described apparatus. The economy of operation is also considerable, since ame, and do not quickly be-Y the glass is submitted to a continuous work-l ing which produces a nished product, or at least one which requires only a slight additional polishing` of the glass before heilig placed upon the market.

Since it is possible to use the narrow aperture between the floor of the cooling chamber and the lower extremity of its door and the flattening effect of the floor of the cooling chamber and even of the door of the furnace itself in partially forming the sheeta sheet is brought into its finished form so gradually that the glass is not subjected to a violentI working at any stage ot the operation. lt is to be understood, however, that the rubbing blocks perform the final and chief operation in bringing the sheet to form as well as in removing any irregularities in the surface of the sheet and in polishing it. lf a previously formed sheet of glass is to be freed of irregularities and polished, it is obviously vpossible to use the rubber for smoothing and polishing the same. lin such case the actuating elements of the apparatus shown, or other suitable means, may be used for passing the glass to be heated between the rubbing blocks.

lt is obvious that a considerable number of modifications in and additions to the apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. ts an example of such additions, additional means for supporting the sheet, means for reheating the same during its passage from the furnace to the rubber, or mechanical means for vertically adjusting' the lower block supporting casing may be provided.

lWhat l claim is l. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, a rubber having relatively adjustable casings forming water jackets and solid wooden blocks in said casings, cooling fmeans adjacent the disv charge opening of the furnace for cooling glass withdrawn therefrom; and means for withdrawing molten glass from the furnace, L

partially forming the same into a. sheet, and passing it between the blocks of the rubber.

il. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, a rubber having relatively adjustable casings forming water jackets and solid wooden blocks in said casings, a leer;

and means for withdrawing molten glass' titi partially forming the sameinto a sheet, and passing it between the blocks of the rubber and through said leer.

4. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, a rubber having relatively adjustable casings forming water jackets and solid wooden blocks in said casings, a leer having a conveyer therein, rolls arranged to draw glass from the furnace and pass it through the rubber onto the leer conveyer, and connections whereby said rolls and said conveyer may be actuated at an equal rate of speed.

5. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, a rubber having relatively adjustable casings forming water jackets and solid wooden blocks in said casings, cooling means adjacent the discharge opening of said furnace, a leer having a conveyer therein, rolls arranged' to draw glass from the furnace and pass it through the rubber onto the leer conveyer, and connections whereby said rolls andsaid conveyer may be actuated at an equal'rate of speed.

6. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing glass from said furnace in a plastic condition and partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a supporting frame and rubbing blocks movable on ways trans- 'versely disposed in the path of progression of said sheet, said ways and the parts of said rubber being so arranged that said rubbing blocks may be brought to bear on said sheet or Vthe rubber removed from position without affecting the position of the sheet in the drawing means.

7. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means or drawing glass from said furnace in a plastic condition and partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a truck movable on ways transversely disposed in the path of progression of said sheet, a rubbing block on said truck, and a second or upper rubbing block so mounted as to be vertically adjustable relatively to said truck and readily removable therefrom. A

8. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing glass from said furnace in a partially formed sheet; and a rubber comprisinga truck movable on ways transversely disposed in the path of progression of said sheet, a rubbing block on said truck, a second or upper rubbing block so mounted as to be vertically adjustable relatively to said truck and readily removable therefrom, and means whereby said upper block may be swung clear of said lower block and truck.

9. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing glass from said furnace in a plastic condition and glass naamw partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a truck movable on ways transversely disposed in the path of progression of said sheet, a rubbing block on said truck, a second or upper rubbing block so mounted as to be vertically adjustable relatively to said truck, an overhead way, and means connecting saidupper block to said overhead way whereby said upper block may be swung clear of said lower block and truck.

10. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing from said furnace in a plastic condition and partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a supporting frame and casings forming Water jackets movable on ways transversely disposed in the path of progression of said sheet, and wooden rubbingA blocks of solid construction in said casings, said ways and the parts of said rubber being so arranged that the rubbing blocks may be brought to bear on said sheet or the rubber removed from the path of the sheet without aecting the position of the latter in the drawing means.

11. Apparatus for makingV sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing glass from said furnace in a plastic condition and partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a truck movable on ways transversely disposed in the path of'progression of said sheet, a casing on said truck, a second or upper casing so mounted as to be vertically adjustable relatively to said truck and readily removable therefrom, and wooden rubbing blocks of solid construction in said casings, said casings being so formed as to provide water jackets surrounding a substantial portion of said blocks. I

12. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing glass from said furnace in a plastic condition and partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a truck movable on ways transversely disposed in the pathvof progression of said sheet, a second or upper casing so mounted as to be vertically adjustable relatively to said truck and readily removable therefrom, wooden rubbing blocks of solid construction in said casings, and means whereby said upper casing may be swung clear of said lower casing and truck, said casings being so formed as to provide water jackets surrounding a substantial portion of said blocks.

13. Apparatus for making sheet glass comprising a furnace, means for drawing glass from said furnace in a plastic condition and partially forming the same into a sheet; and a rubber comprising a truck movable on ways transversely disposed in the path of progression of said sheet, a casing V lower casing and truck, said casings being so formed as to provide water jackets surrounding a, substantial portion of Said L blocks.

In witness whereof, ll have hereunto seiI my hand.

JAMES BARNES.

Witnesses:

WALTER S. KLEMANSKI, SUE B. FRITZ. 

